Monday 19 October 2020

Things You May Want To Know About A Colostomy

An opening in the abdomen to allow the large bowel to connect to the outside of the body is known as a colostomy. The purpose of this diversion is to allow bodily wastes to leave the body without proceeding to the diseased part of the bowel. Because a colostomy lets you retain a section of your bowel, the stool you pass out from the stoma is formed, but it might vary in some cases.

There are two types of colostomy: end colostomy and loop colostomy.

End colostomy

The surgeon will give you an end colostomy after removing a part of your bowel. He will bring the end of the active GI tract through the abdominal wall to create a stoma. Depending on the underlying reason and its severity, the end colostomy can be permanent or temporary.

The surgeon will create a temporary end colostomy to give the diseased part of the colon some rest to recover from the disease. The recovery duration may extend to a few weeks, a few months, or even a few years.

Loop colostomy

The surgeon may choose to give you a loop colostomy due to a bowel obstruction. The ostomy will stop the waste from proceeding to the problem area of the colon. The procedure to create this type of colostomy involves pulling out of a loop of the colon. The surgeon will make a small incision on the top of that loop. This incision will open two ends, one of which evacuates bodily wastes, while the second one connects to the diseased part of the colon along with the rectum and anus. The location of a loop stoma can vary depending on the location of the infection.

Reasons for a colostomy

There can be various reasons you may need a colostomy. Your nurse and surgeon will explain the procedure and everything related to ostomy care.

Here are some of the reasons why you may need a colostomy.

  • Diverticulitis
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Bowel incontinence
  • Trauma
  • Cancer
  • Congenital abnormalities
  • Damage due to radiation

How does a stoma look and feel like?

Generally, a stoma should be a little protruded from the surface of the abdominal skin. It is soft, moist, and red or pink. The overall appearance of the stoma is pretty much like the inside of the mouth.

The stoma doesn’t have any nerve endings, meaning that you won’t feel anything while touching or rubbing it. With a rich blood supply, it, however, may bleed easily. A stoma can bleed when you clean it, so it shouldn’t be a cause of concern unless there is excessive bleeding.

The stoma may be swollen during the first few weeks after surgery. This swelling can result in an enlarged stoma, but it should reduce in size over time. The stoma will have some stitches around it, but they generally dissolve with time.

Conclusion

A colostomy is a life-saving procedure that generally makes the stoma a permanent feature of the body. If you have this stoma, you have to make sure to take good care of it. A significant part of ostomy care involves taking care of the peristomal skin. Healthy peristomal skin ensures a leak-proof seal between the peristomal skin and the skin barrier.

If you face any issues related to ostomy care, you may want to discuss them with your ostomy care nurse.

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